smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

More than half of small businesses are risking lost and disrupted business by not protecting their data from computer theft, viruses, hackers and systems failure.

This is according to a poll commissioned by data management company ImperaData, which revealed that 55% of small businesses do not back up their data every day, with 16% only doing it once a month and 17% never backing up their information at all.

This is despite the findings of a recent DTI survey into security breaches that two-thirds of firms lost information through computer failure and theft, and more than two-thirds were hit by viruses and hackers.

Yet another survey has shown that less than one in ten UK businesses got through last year without falling victim to computer viruses or an attack from a hacker.

The alarming statistic, that no less than 92% of UK businesses reported IT security problems, comes from the 2004 Global Information Security Survey and reinforces the IT threat that small businesses face.

If more evidence were needed of small companies’ vulnerability, one final survey, by software security group MessageLabs, shows that European businesses are expecting viruses to become more “aggressive” and more prevalent in years to come, continuing the current trend.

For information on ways of protecting your business’ computer data, check out the Business Technology channel.

(15/7/04)

There are currently no comments on this article